'nolita' on Serious Eats

Shock, dismay, shame...let's just say it was quite the humbling moment when I realized we had yet to review—let alone try— the pies at Emporio. Not only is the modest, inviting restaurant located mere blocks from Serious Eats HQ, but we really, really like the place. The two Roman-style pizzas I encountered on a recent visit proved revelatory—if not on a city-wide scale, certainly on a how-did-I-not-know-this-was-in-my-neighborhood one. More

As impressed as we were by Rubirosa when it first opened, now that our office is just a few blocks away, I make it out there for a slice or two pretty regularly during the week. And I've gotta say, it just keeps getting better and better. More

Walking into Bottega Falai with sandwiches on the brain, we couldn't resist trying the adorable, saucer-sized pizza tart at the counter. Turns out it makes a pleasant snack when you're not in the mood for a big, cheese-melty, sauce-heavy slice. More

I'll just say it: Lombardi's is kind of a big tourist thing. After having been hyped in countless national newspaper and magazine stories, guidebooks, and travel shows, this "first pizzeria in America" is pretty much packed any night of the week with people more likely to hail from Manhattan, Kansas, than Manhattan Manhattan. (OK, that's probably an exaggeration, but poetic license, you know?)
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Rubirosa, on Mulberry Street in Nolita, is helmed by Angelo "A. J." Pappalardo, son of Joe & Pat's Joe Pappalardo, and you'll find the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Anyone familiar with Joe & Pat's will instantly recognize the pizza at Rubirosa. It is a carbon copy of its Castleton Corners forbear, where A. J. began working at age 12. A patchwork of good-quality fresh mozzarella covers a bright-red swath of slightly sweet crushed tomatoes — all atop an ultrathin crust that is crunchy at the edges but gives way to a crisp and pliant middle. More

I was eating a dainty Neapolitan pizza with Adam Kuban recently when I lamented the fact that there's no Chicago deep dish pizza available in NYC (putting aside the few remaining branches of awful chain Uno Chicago Grill, which is actually headquartered in Boston). Adam mentioned that there is a place in Astoria that reportedly sells deep dish pies, but a few days later Time Outannounced that L'Asso is now selling a deep dish pie much closer to my Manhattan home. More

The EaterNY blog brings word of a deal Monday nights at Nolita's Emporio. Any pie on the menu, plus two beers, for $22.50. Choose a high-priced pie, and you'll have yourself a good deal. 231 Mott Street, New York NY 10012 (Spring/Prince; map); 212-966-1234; auroraristorante.com... More

Hot off his GQ Top 25 Pizza List, Alan Richman (right) takes on a few recently opened NYC pizzerias—Tonda (East Village), Ignazio's (DUMBO), and Emporio (Nolita). Let's take them in order. On Tonda: The toppings here are overly ambitious yet flavorsome, but the crusts are flabby, tasteless, barely charred, and lacking the puffy outside ring that is reminiscent of a true Naples pie. My favorite menu item by far was the arancini, listed under “Neapolitan Street Food” but as far as I know found just about everywhere in Italy. These little rice balls were wonderfully crunchy, the only item we... More

If you're not into the habit of picking up the Onion satirical newspaper, here's a reason next week. From an email we just got from the folks at L'Asso: The L'asso Pizza Guide—the definitive guide to pizza—will be carried as a NYC Onion insert (10/9/2008). The guide is a humorous and informational guide to pizza—from its humble beginnings in ancient times to its current incarnation as one of the world's favorite foods. It's been a year in the making!The one-of-a-kind guide chews on the anthropological aspects of pizza (Are you a dutiful dabber, a hi-fi folder, or a spicy sprinkler?),... More

It's been awhile since Slice has waded into the plaintive muck of Craigslist's Missed Connections section. So come with me, my loves, to the swamp of love that spawns That's Amore. —The Mgmt. At New Park Pizza on CrossBay Blvd today with your friend - m4w: If this work's I'll not only be really happy but amazed! At New Park Pizza on Cross Bay Blvd in Howard Beach Queens this afternoon. You are light skinned and you were sitting with your girlfriend who was darker. You were wearing what I think I remember was a pink Tee shirt with something... More

Reader comment and response is still pouring in thanks to yesterday's New York Times story. So many great comments and recommendations. And questions. Reaching into the proverbial mailbag, we have ... Dear Slice, Do you know of any good late night or 24 hour pizza places in NYC? Bilal Dear Bilal, Slice is a homebody, more prone to lying prone on the couch at night, remote in hand, watching Battlestar Galactica. But our favorite late-night (if not 24-hour) place is Vinny Vincenz. Great squares here. Sunday through Thursday till 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday till 4:30 a.m. Late enough for... More

An interesting item hit the Slice inbox yesterday. OK guys, put this in your pie and smoke it! A couple of caveats: The list isn't quite as definitive as it claims to be, as it is missing any critical analysis of Staten Island, Queens, and Bronx joints. When you guys post this on the site (front page, please), perhaps you may want to refer to it as "The Definitive Manhattan and Brooklyn Top 10 List." We've all been to these places enough times to know what's going on and who's coming with their A game and who isn't. Seltzerboy, as... More

In yesterday's New York Times F.Y.I. column, the question was raised: Where was the first Ray's Pizza, and what's the story behind it? A. Why don’t you ask something simple, like what happened to Judge Crater? Some New York culinary questions (just who invented the black-and-white cookie is another) are destined to remain shrouded in mystery. The evolution of Ray’s Pizza resists an easy explanation.... The Ray’s question is also bristling with lawyers. Rosolino Mangano, of Famous Original Ray’s Pizza on Columbus Avenue near 83rd Street, went to court in the early 1990’s, registered that name and branched out with... More

Heath Ledger. 3/29/2006. Lombardi’s Pizza. 32 Spring St. 8pm. Sat down with 2 friends, in the booth right next to me. No Michelle and baby Matilda. Ordered a sausage pizza. Looks like he likes the sausage, not just in the movies. (I’m sorry, bad joke). [Gawker Stalker]... More

Here's the American Pizzeria Timeline, which includes only two nonPizza Belt entries, Tommaso's and Uno's: 1905: Lombardi's, on Spring Street in New York City, is granted the nation's first license to sell pizza. 1910: Joe's Tomato Pies opens in the Trenton, New Jersey, Chambersburg neighborhood. 1912: Papa's Tomato Pies in Trenton opened by Papa, who learned his trade at Joe's. 1924: Anthony (Totonno) Pero leaves Lombardi's and opens Totonno's in Coney Island, New York. 1925: Frank Pepe opens on Wooster Street in New Haven, Connecticut.... More

IMG_2750 From Flickr member jenchung. Get thee to Lombardi's. (Doesn't quite have the ring of a nunnery, but what are you going to do?) Slice predicts lines to rival those of any major religious pilgrimage when Lombardi's throws open its doors on the 5¢ pie deal today. Looks like Lombardi's is predicting the same thing. And Gothamist editor Jen Chung provides the photographic evidence via her Flickr photo stream. Anyone else in the neighborhood today is encouraged to send Slice shots of the line or your feast, should you brave that line.... More

The New York Post comes through with a story on the Lombardi's centennial, giving a rundown on the place's 100-year (give or take) history. Lombardi's is, as many of our longtime readers know, the first licensed pizzeria in the United Statesit got its pizza creds in 1905 when Gennaro Lombardi opened it up the street from its current location. To find out why it moved and read more about the history, click through to the story [A Pizza Party]. I'm out the door for work and don't have time to digest it for you. What I want you to... More

The incomparable Lockhart Steele, oh he of Curbed fame, e-mailed Slice this evening with a report that Lombardi's is taking over and expanding into the space that used to house the Nolita Lounge. He was also kind enough to send us a couple photos of the work in progress (above and below), complete with "new banners (sample: ZAGAT SURVEY "BEST PIZZA ON THE PLANET")." Thanks, Mr. Steele. Seltzerboy on Lombardi's. LOMBARDI'S Location: 32 Spring Street, Manhattan NY 10012 Phone: 212-941-7994 Payment accepted: Cash, checks... More